Spring 2025 MPPS

CLOSUP Updates

New MPPS Report: Michigan local governments making progress on best practices in budgeting

May 6, 2026

A new MPPS report presents assessments by Michigan's local government leaders of local budgeting processes, including the prevalence of multi-year budgeting, capital improvement plans (CIPs), and long-term financial planning, as well as views on the ...

CLOSUP Updates

New MPPS Policy Brief: Many Michigan local governments struggle to find residents willing to run for office or serve on boards

Apr 8, 2026

A new MPPS policy brief presents the opinions of Michigan's local government leaders on resident engagement in their communities. One significant area of concern is resident representation on local elected and appointed boards.

CLOSUP Updates

New MPPS Policy Brief: Challenges to Michigan local government budgeting

Feb 4, 2026

A new MPPS policy brief presents the opinions of Michigan's local government leaders on a set of eight specific challenges that they might be facing in their jurisdiction's budgeting process, including technical or procedural financial management cha...

CLOSUP Updates

New MPPS Report: Smaller and more rural Michigan local governments are struggling with increased fiscal stress

Dec 17, 2025

A new MPPS report presents Michigan local government leaders' assessments of their jurisdictions' fiscal conditions and the actions they plan to take in the coming year, given their financial situations.

To shore up American democracy, look to city hall

CLOSUP Updates

New MPPS Report: Michigan local leaders trust residents less, but say that local democracy remains strong

Nov 19, 2025

A new MPPS report presents Michigan local government leaders’ trust in their residents and their assessments of the tone of discussion in local politics, as well as their views regarding the overall functioning of democracy in their jurisdictions. Th...

CLOSUP Updates

New MPPS Report: Michigan local leaders report alarming declines in resident engagement

Oct 28, 2025

A new MPPS report presents the views of Michigan’s local government leaders regarding resident engagement with their local governments, including assessments of the opportunities their local governments provide for engagement, residents’ overall leve...

CLOSUP Updates

New MPPS Policy Brief: Many Michigan communities concerned about the loss of federal and state funding, but uncertain how to prepare

Aug 12, 2025

A new MPPS policy brief presents the assessments of local government leaders from around the state regarding whether the winding down of funds from sources such as ARPA, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), or...

CLOSUP Updates

New MPPS Policy Brief: A majority of Michigan local officials continue to say the state is on the wrong track, reflecting partisan affiliation and growing uncertainty

Jul 22, 2025

A new MPPS policy brief presents the opinions of Michigan’s local government leaders regarding the direction in which the state is headed, as well as their evaluations of the job performance of Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Legislature. ...

CLOSUP Updates

Report: Local lawmakers, law enforcement officers want access to misconduct reports, internal investigations

Jul 8, 2025 Gongwer

There is widespread support among local government and law enforcement for the creation of a statewide misconduct database for law enforcement officers, according to a report from the University of Michigan's Center for Local, State and Urban Policy....

MPPS

Michigan local governments making progress on best practices in budgeting

May 6, 2026

Debra Horner, Natalie Fitzpatrick, Stephanie Leiser, Margaret Walthall, Morgan McKimmy

This report presents the assessments of Michigan's local government leaders on local budgeting processes, including the prevalence of multi-year budgeting, capital improvement plans (CIPs), long-term financial planning, and views on the appropriate l...

MPPS

Michigan Public Policy Survey - Spring 2025 County-wide Fiscal Health Fact Sheets

April 24, 2026

MPPS

MPPS Policy Brief: Many Michigan local governments struggle to find residents willing to run for office or serve on boards

April 8, 2026

Natalie Fitzpatrick, Debra Horner, Stephanie Leiser

This policy brief presents Michigan local government leaders' views on resident engagement in their communities. Across the state, Michigan local leaders report steep declines in engagement over more than a decade, despite increased outreach efforts ...

MPPS

MPPS Policy Brief: Challenges to Michigan local government budgeting

February 4, 2026

This policy brief presents Michigan local government leaders' views on a set of eight specific challenges that they might be facing in their jurisdiction's budgeting process, including technical or procedural financial management challenges as well a...

MPPS

Smaller and more rural Michigan local governments are struggling with increased fiscal stress

December 17, 2025

This report presents Michigan local government leaders' assessments of their jurisdictions' fiscal conditions and the actions they plan to take in the coming year, given their financial situations. These findings are based on statewide surveys of loc...

MPPS

Michigan local leaders trust residents less, but say that local democracy remains strong

November 19, 2025

This report presents Michigan local government leaders’ trust in their residents and their assessments of the tone of discussion in local politics, as well as their views regarding the overall functioning of democracy in their jurisdictions. These fi...

MPPS

Michigan local leaders report alarming declines in resident engagement

October 28, 2025

This report presents the views of Michigan’s local government leaders regarding resident engagement with their local governments, including assessments of the opportunities their local governments provide for engagement, residents’ overall levels of ...

MPPS

MPPS Policy Brief: Many Michigan communities concerned about the loss of federal and state funding, but uncertain how to prepare

August 12, 2025

This policy brief presents the assessments of local government leaders from around the state regarding whether the winding down of funds from sources such as ARPA, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), or other...

MPPS

MPPS Policy Brief: A majority of Michigan local officials continue to say the state is on the wrong track, reflecting partisan affiliation and growing uncertainty

July 22, 2025

This policy brief presents the opinions of Michigan’s local government leaders regarding the direction in which the state is headed, as well as their evaluations of the job performance of Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Legislature. These ...

Spring 2025 Michigan Public Policy Survey Homepage

The Spring 2025 Michigan Public Policy SurveyTopics:Annual tracking items for fiscal, budget, operation policies; local government budgeting practices; resident engagement; right direction vs. wrong track for state and country; job approval evaluatio...